The Shumates
Photos
Family Photo - 1948
Left to Right - Top Row
JC, Jane, Mary, Octavia, James, Mickey, Virgie, and Clinton.
Left to Right - Bottom Row
Shiela, Joel, Jim, Melvin, Brenda, and Linda.
Given Basil's absence and the presence of his wife, Mary, it is assumed that he is the photographer.
Video
1994 Reunion
With our upcoming reunion for the family of James Corbett Shumate and Octavia Wood, I thought it appropriate to start with the last reunion of this group that occured back in 1994. This is a compilation of VHS footage taken by Jim, Joel and myself. It's difficult to believe that 22 years have passed since the last event at Grandview State Park.
1948 Family Gathering
I recently obtained this reel from Jim Shumate who received it from his father, JC, years ago. Once converted, I was surprised to find the scene that is captured in the photo at the top of this page. The group appears only briefly at 2:25 into the video, so you will have to watch carefully, but you will know it when you see it.
My Dad
Part 1 - The Family Tree
In 1992, Jim Shumate sat down with his father, James C Shumate Jr, and talked about his life and family. It's great to see my grandfather again in a way that feels like we are having a conversation. I can't express how much I appreciate the work that Jim did on this project, preserving the family history for generations to come.
Part 2 - The Early Years
In this segment, JC talks about his experience in the coal mines of West Virginia.
Part 3 - Jane, Robert Byrd and School
JC talks about how he met his wife, Jane, and his friendship with with Robert C. Byrd.
Reunions
Following are reunion videos from 1986 to 2015 using a combination of video from Jim, Joel and myself.
2015
About
Chris Shumate
This site is intended as a repository of geneaology, photos and video for the Shumate family. My relationship to James & Octavia is shown in the tree below.
